Traumatic brain injuries are serious.
Unfortunately, many victims of these injuries have no idea that they suffered enough trauma to damage their brain. Other times, the symptoms are apparent.
Brain injuries can affect a person for the rest of their life, and if they do not seek treatment as soon as possible, the consequences could be severe.
Gilbert personal injury attorneys often see victims of accidents that fail to have their heads properly examined, only to result in serious effects. Therefore, after any accident, it is imperative that a person seek immediate medical treatment – regardless if they feel fine.
5 Overlooked Symptoms of a Serious Brain Injury
1. Dizziness or Balance Issues
After an accident, one could feel dizzy. However, dismissing that dizziness or balance issue as an effect of being jolted around in the crash impact is never safe.
Dizziness and balance problems, however, are signs of a traumatic brain injury and are listed as one of the mild traumatic brain injury symptoms by the Mayo Clinic.
If a person has persistent dizziness a few minutes to hours after the incident, they must seek medical treatment immediately. Let the physician know that there was an accident so that they can take the necessary precautions in the event brain trauma occurred.
2. Persistent Headaches and Pain
Headaches or migraines that form after the accident are normal, but they should lessen with medication and time. However, if the headache is severe and does not seem to dissipate or the person suffers from acute migraines after the incident, they most likely are suffering from a traumatic brain injury.
Seeking medical attention right away is critical. A headache is treated based on how it was caused and the area of the brain that was injured but could require multiple diagnostic tests, medications, and in comes cases, surgery.
3. Unexplained Fatigue
Brain injuries can lead to issues with sleep and leave a person tired, fatigued, and easily frustrated. If an accident victim notices chronic fatigue a day or up to several weeks, it is imperative they seek medical attention. Unfortunately, this symptom may last for a few weeks before it is considered “chronic” to a physician, but it is a symptom that a TBI might have occurred.
4. Feeling Disorganized
A person who is usually well-organized and suddenly cannot organize anything could have suffered an injury to their brain. Individuals with a TBI will have difficulty multitasking, and they are easily distracted from the tasks they usually perform just fine throughout the day. Also, if given multiple instructions, the victim could become easily agitated or frustrated because they cannot perform tasks like they once did.
5. Frequent Forgetfulness or Inability to Recall Details
A loss of consciousness at the accident scene combined with forgetfulness or the failure to recall details is a clear warning sign of a TBI. Often, forgetfulness and memory recall are not noticed for a few days or weeks after the incident. It could start out as simple as forgetting a date or phone number. Eventually, a person may trail off in the middle of a conversation, because they have an inability to remember what they were talking about in the first place.
Any time a person suffers trauma to the brain, they may have difficulty recalling details, but when it persists or worsens, this could be a sign of a more serious problem.
Seeking Medical Treatment Immediately After the Accident is Best
Often victims of a car crash will assume that they feel fine – therefore, they do not go to the emergency room or even their family physician until symptoms start to appear a few hours or days later.
This is because the human body responds by releasing adrenaline and endorphins after an accident. These can create a level of excitement, but also decrease sensations for pain and other symptoms.
However, a person should seek medical attention after a car accident regardless of how they feel. Gilbert personal injury attorneys know all too well that when treatment is delayed, it gives the insurance company and defense team reason to discredit a plaintiff’s legitimate injuries. They will downplay their severity and even try to have the claim dismissed because the plaintiff did not seek treatment right away.
Therefore, it is in a victim’s best interest not only of health and safety but possible compensation, that they see a doctor after their accident and ensure they are not injured.
How a Gilbert Personal Injury Attorney Can Help after a TBI
If a TBI is the result of a car accident caused by someone’s negligence, the victim may be able to file a lawsuit for compensation. TBIS carry heavy financial burdens, and severe TBIs can lead to life-changing and debilitating issues.
Therefore, an accident victim and their loved ones should not have to endure the costs associated with treating and living with a TBI. Instead, they can speak with a Gilbert-area personal injury attorney from Tobler Law.
The accident attorneys at Tobler Law are here to represent your rights for compensation. We will ensure that a negligent driver is held accountable and that you do not have to shoulder the burden of your TBI.
Schedule a consultation with our family of Gilbert personal injury attorneys at 480-898-9700 or request your meeting online.